Work-feeding attachment for sewing-machines.



W. S. MILLS. WORK PENDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATIONFILED AUG. 21, 1912.

11,119,099. i Patented Dec.1,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NURRIS PETERS ca PHUm-LITHO WAS/MN(l 10N, D c

W. s. MILLS. WORK FEBDING ATTACHMENT POR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1912. 1,119,099. Patented Dec. 1,1914

2 SHEETS-SHBBT 2.

WEZZ am SY. Jlls rHE NORRIS PETERS Ca.. PHOTO-Unio., WASHING TON. n, 1"

sTA'rEsrA'rENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM s..1vIILLs, or TnUlviBirLL, CONNECTICUT.

`To-aZZ 'whom 'it may concern:

Specification of Letters Patent.

` WORK-Fulmine ATTACHMENT FCR sEWIivMACHINEs.

i Patented Dec.1, 1914.

Application filed August'Zl, 11912. Serial No'. 716,194. i

. Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. MILLS, citizen of: the United States,and resident of Trumbulhin the .County of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inV Work-Feeding Attachments'for Sewing-Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

My present 'invention relates to improvements in feeding attachments forsewing machines, and belongs to that type of attach- )ment shown vanddescribed in my priorA lowered for the `the Cloth to which the needleisworking around the outer edges Faten't #552,691, for feeding `work tothe needle "ofa sewing machine. l

`The invention is especially fitted for' stitching fabric labels onshirts and other garments, or in fact in stitching pieces of material ofpredetermined shapes and sizes upon apparelofvarious sorts.` The natureof my invention is such ast'o enableme to stitch on labels of the aboveclass without turning the work while `in the. machine and by simplymoving the work forward, backward and longitudinally of the sewingmachine vbed in a way to follow and `stitch down the outer edges of thelabel. y

V This invention relates l' more particularly `to improved mechanism for`receiving and holding the .position to lahelto be stitched, in properbe guided] backward, forward and crosswise with relationto the operatingneedle; `v`to include in said construction a special shaped presser footthat is designed to normally hold the label down firmly upon it is to beattached while ofy the said presser foot; to support this presser footfrom `the movable part of the attachment while guiding the work over thebed of the machine and with relation to the needle; to provide means forshifting the relative position `of the' support for the presser footso-as Ito operate entirely around the presser foot withoutfinterferingwith said supporting means, and finally to provide means whereby thesaid presser foot and-its supporting means maybe raised and introductionand removal of the work. 4 v

Vith these and other objects in view the invention further resides andconsists in the construction andV novel combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter more fully described,v illustrated inthe accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it' beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minordetails of construction within the scope of the claims may be resortedto without departure from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

Suitable numerals of reference will be found to denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several figures of the accompanyingydrawings forming a part of this specification and lupon which,

` Figure l, shows a side elevation of the work feeding attachmentapplied to a sewing machine head, the needle bar being illustrated' in araised position and adapted to operate in connection. with my improvedwork feedingatt-achment. Fig. 2, is a plan view of myimproved workfeeding attach- :ment as it would appear when secured to the bed of asewing machine, 1n position for beginning an operation, andcorresponding with Iig. 1. Fig. 3,1s a slightly enlarged end view of thepresser foot and attached .parts of my improved work feedingattachattachment, shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, but

the supportingarm for the presser foot being in a differentposition.`Fig. 5, is an enlarged cross sectional view of the attachment taken online 5 5 of Fig. 2, the position of the parts corresponding with Figs. 2and 3. Figj, is also anyenlarged cross section somewhat like Fig; 5, butwith parts in position shown in Figs. E and 7. Fig. 7, is an-enlargedplan view somewhat like Fig. 2, but with supporting shaft and pin forpresser foot in a different position to agree with Figs. l vandv,and,`Fig. 8,1shows a Aseparate plany view of a label such as my atytachment is'designed to stitch on to agarment; y y

I have illustrated that portion of my former patented device herein,`which in` cludes themeans formoving the work supporting plates andpresser foot -in backward, forward vand longitudinal directions withrespect to the bed of the sewing machine head and the needle holetherethrough.

For the purpose of more clearly understanding the said mechanism, Iwillnow briefly refer to thefparts by reference numerals, wherein- Y 8represents the bed of a sewing machine erative parts of the sewingmachine head,

such as the shuttle carriage and connections. A bracket 12 is secured tothebed of the machine head by screws 1 3 to support the operating shaft14. On the upper end of this shaftis mounted anoperating handle 15 so itmay be rotated by'hand, step by step,

during the operation of the sewing machine. A small pinion 16 is mountedupon this f shaft (see dotted lines Fig. 2) in position to engage theracks 17 that ares'ecured to the reciprocating slide .18. This llongitudinally slide, as will be noted, is in turn mountedin alowerslide 19 which is free to be inoved in a forward and backward directionor at a right angle to the movement of the first named slide. It will beapparent that an operation of the shaft 14 will give -to the slide 18and its supportedpartsa forward and backward-movement and a movementlengthwise of the bed` of the sewing machine head, and that saidmovements when comv bined produce a corresponding rectangular movementof the `work supporting parts and y v label, and is alsoprovidedwithmeans for presser foot.

A. work supporting plate 20-is secured to a bracket 21 attached to theslide 18 and is moved backward and forward upon the top I of thegbed ofthe sewing machine with the several movements of the said slide. Thisplate is provided with arectangular open-y ing 22, as shown in Figs. 2land 7, and is the same size as the opening 23 in the clamping plate 24.The said plate 20seives to support the garment to which the label 30l isfastened, while theclamping plate 24 arranged above the guide platcserves to close down on the top of the garment and clamp it against thebottom plate 20. This clamping plate y24 is ysecured between the outerends of the two parallel side members 25 whose inner portions yareconnected by a cross piece 26, the said ends of the side members 25 arepivotallv connected to the out-.v

wardlv disposed end of the before mentioned bracket 21. A yoke 26@I issecured to theintermediate portion of the side members 25 to serve as abearing for a spring27 which is adiustablv secured -to the upwardlydisposed bracket 28 secured to the before mentioned slide 18. Thepurpose of this spring and its connections are to force the said yoke.its frame and clamping plate 24 downward. whereby the garment vwill beiirmlv held beneath the clamping plate -and against the work supportingplate 20. The si deframe members 25 carrving the clamping plate are`pivoted to thef ends of the bracket 21 so ythat the plate mav be raisedand lowered against the action of the spring wardlyeXtended portion of27 for the placement or removal ofthe' gar mentto which the label istobe attached.

' vThese work supporting partsmay be raised at the completion of astitching operation for the removal of the label by the manipu- `lationof the links 29 attached tothe-before mentioned yoke 26.

Thelabel 30, shown in Fig. 18,-mayfbe formed of cotton, linen or othersuitable material, and is stitched to any form of garment, eitherwoven-or knitted, rafter ,the placed upon the supporting same has beenplate 20, adjusted to ktheposition desired, and then clamped `bytheqplate 24 whichfis lowered upon it.` The labels arefforrned of ashape and size @to lcorrespond with the opening-23 in the clampingplateand after being placed therein and upon the garment,

the presser foot 31 is loweredto holdthe f label in position during thestitching operations. `The presser foot covers the central portion ofthelabel only and leaves a space betweenit and the edge ofthe opening25' of the clamping plate so that the needle vwill be free-to operateupon the upper top'edge portion of the label for'its attachment to thegarment supported beneath it;r foot is mounted to be raised and loweredto permit the insertion and engagenientof the clamping the label" downupon the garment comprisingin parta hinged plate`32 which is pivotallyconnected to a pin 33 ina forthe before men-y tioned slide 18. Uponthishinged plate is mounted a guideybracket 34having two wardly disposedbearings` 35 thereon. QA

The presser rocker shaft 36 'is mounted in thesef'two bearings and lisprovided `withcollars 37;

and 38 fitted against the said bearings. The

latter one 38 of said collars is provided with'.

ltwo flat surfaces 38a that areengaged"` b v-a spring 39 secured tothetop of? one of the said bearings 35 to 'yieldablv/hold the shaft ineither of two positionsaiOn `the outer end of this rocker shaft issupported adisk "40 carrying an eccentric pin 41.1the outer end Y ofwhich enga ges a ,disky42 mountedfto rotate vin a pocket of thepresserfoot. 7 This Vdisk is also provided 'fwith'two flat periph,

. .hv ay springv 43- to yieldably hold the shaftand disksin'.

A springf'44 :is a d eral surfaces that are engaged either of twopositions. u iustablv connected to the before mentioned bracket 28 andextends forward ,sol that 4its free end engagesthe bearing 35of bracketvsame. the hinged 34y in a wav to hold 'the p plate, rocker shaft andpresser foot, downto clamp the latter against the label andhold vit inpositionwhile stitching. The'presser foot is raised with thecompletionof` each `label stitching operation bv manipulating the link 45 andlever 46 against the action of its spring 44.

The connecting-pin 41 carriedby the to liftthe same tively engagesthedisk 42 inl the presser foot,olf center, sothat when the rocker shaft36 is turned thel pin 41 is thrown around the aXis of the shaft anddisks `in a manner to turn the disk 42 land .thus move the pinconnection with the presser foot, to a different position, and towardtheopposite end of the presser foot, in a way to leave the position ofpresser foot the same with regard to the openings in the supporting andclampingplates.

Y, The shafts and disks are normally set for the beginning of anoperation'in the position shown in Figs.l 2, 3 and 5 whichleaves thesupporting pin 41 for,` presser foot, to the rear of the needle hole 9therebyperlmitting the needle to work forward between the presser footand edge ofopening 23 in plate 24 while the presser foot together withthe work supportingr guide plate and clamping plate are moved toward theoperator; This movement is continued until the rear right hand` cornerof the `label is reached, whereupon the label and itssupportingparts aremoved to the right thereby :producing thecrossstitches along the rearedge portion of the label, bringing the parts to the other rear corner..A continued operation ofthe machinev carries the work directlyrearward, then'! across, and forward again tothe point of beginning, asshown in Fig. 7, thus having guided the ,entire` edge portion of thelabelaround the operating needle in a rectangular manner. -l The underface ofthe presserfoot is preferably notched' as shown in Fig. 3, tobetter engage the label and clamp it in positionupon the garment duringthe stitching operation.'

During the operation of theV sewing machine and this .forwardmovementyofthe slide plate 32,`shaft 36Hand its supporting pin 41 thearm 47 upon thefshaft 36, which is `normally disposed forward as shownin Figs. Zand 5,'. is brought to engage the screw 48 ,mounted in a lug49 secured to the l bed of the machine. `This screw thus serves to shovethe arm back ina way to hold saidl shaft 36, see Fig. 6, causingthe saidshaft to be rocked while the sewing machineis in operation. s

From the foregoing it will be Vnoted that the presser foot is supportedupon the pin of the shaft and remains ina kfired position withrelationto said pin until the shaft is operated, when the pin is movedand its location shifted' with regard to the plate and presser foot.This, of course, necessarily means that the presser foot and guide plateat all time'sremain in positions corresponding to each other and thatthe pin only is moved with .relation .to them. The 'shaft' and pin areset inthe positionshown in Figs. 2A and 3 for the beginning of kanoperation and remain inthat position until the parts move toward theoperator sufficient for the engagement of the arm 47 with the partscontinue to move forward with relation to the said arm and screw. Thisoperation throws the pin and operatesthe `disks in a way to shift therelative position of the said pin, so as to be connected with the rearportion of the presser foot, as shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7, instead ofthe front portion, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will thus be obviousthat when the partsV continue to move around and the needle Works up tothe nishing point, the pin will still bein said relatively rear positionand is suliiciently out of the way to permit the needle to finish upagainst the beginning end of the row of stitches. .y A

. Having thus described my invention what I claim and .desire to secureby Letters Patent is f 1. A work feeding attachment for sewing machines,comprising slidablework supporting plates one of which has an openingtherein, a presser foot arranged central in the opening to engagethework and adapted to be moved with said plates, a rocker shaft forsupporting the presser foot, movable connections between the rockershaft and presser foot, means for rotating the rocker shaft and shiftingthe relative location of the connections of the-shaft with the presserfoot and longitudinally of said presser foot while the sewing machine isin operation.

2. A work feeding attachment for sewing machines, comprising slidablework supporting plates, a presser foot to engage the work in a way toform a stitching space on all fours'ides of the presser foot, a rotarymember mountedin` the central part of the presser foot, a presser footsupport connected with said rotary member, and means for operating thepresser foot support to shift the relative location of rotary memberwithout changing` the position of the latter. s r

3. A work feeding attachment for sewing machines, comprising areciprocating slide, a supporting plate attached thereto, a clampingplate having an opening therein, a presser foot adapted to work throughthe opening of the clamping plate, rotary means for supporting thepresser foot, and means for operating the rotary means to change therelative location of the support for the presser foot in a way to allowthe sewingmachine needle to work all around the presser foot.

4. In a work feeding attachment for sewing machines, the combination ofslidable work supporting plates, a presser foot to engage ther-work,agrotary disk` mounted in leo' the presser foot, a shaft 'onnected witha disk for supporting the presser foot, and means' for operating theshaft and disk to shift the point of connection of one with respect tothe other.

5. In a work feeding attachment for sew'- ing machines, the combinationof work supporting plates, a presser foot'to'engage the work, aneccentric member for supporting the same, means to raise and lower theeccentric member, and means for moving the said eccentric member withrespect to the foot and plates while'the sewing machine is in operation.6. A work feeding attachment for sewing machines, comprising areciprocating slide, a supporting plate 'attached thereto, a clampingplate having an opening therein, a presser foot adapted to workthrol'igh the opening of the clamping plate, -yieldable connections forholding the foot in said opening, a rotary supporting means having aneccentric'gconnection with the presser foot to change the relativelocation of such connection with and lengthwise of the presser foot witheach operation of the machine.

7. In a work feeding attachment ofthe class described, the combinationof a reciprocating slide, a supporting thereto, a clamping plate havingan opening therein, an elongated 'presser foot adapted to work throughthe opening of the clamping plate, a rocker shaft having an eccentricconnection with theporting the same and to move the presser footconnection lengthwise of the presser foot with each operation of themachine.

8. The combination o f a reciprocating slide, a supporting plateattached thereto, a clamping plate having an opening therein,

means for moving the said slide and con-y nected plates in a rectangulardirection, a presser foot also adapted to the'said plates, a' rockershaft for supporting the same and adapted to said plates and presserfoot and also independently thereof to change its location of connectionof said arm with the presser foot. 9; A work feeding attachment forsewing machines, comprising slidable work supporting plates, a presserfoot to engage` the work, a rocker shaft having an eccentric pinnormally connecting with one end of the presser foot for supportingthesame, and means for `moving the shaft while the sewing machine is inoperation, so as to have the pin connected with a different partof thepresser foot at the completion of an operation.

v"10. In a ywork feeding attachment for sewing machines, the combinationof a slidablework supporting plate, a presser foot to engage the work, apin for supporting the presser foot, a shaft upon which the .pin ismounted, and means for operating the shaft to move the pinlongitudinally with plate attached presser foot for sup-` be moved withmove with the respect t'the'pressergftfwhile the sewing A 'machine'is'in operation.l

1l.- In a work feeding attachment for sewing machines,`,the'icombination of a reciprocating slide, a supporting plate attachedthereto, a'hinged plate',arocke'r shaftm'ounted thereon, aclampingvplate [having an y opening therein, av presser foot adapted to workcentrally through the opening of the clamping plate, and means carried.b the said shaft for engaging the presser foot whereby the relativelocation of its connection with the foot may be changed with each`operation of the machine.

chines, the -combinationmof a reciprocatingl slide, asupportin'gplate.attached thereto,

plate also carried bythel vslide a clamping and having an openingtherein, a presser' foot adapted to workthrough ythe opening of theclamping pl`ate,'`a hinged platealso carried by the slide, a shaftmovably mounted on the guide plate, eccentric connec-I tion of the shaft'anv presser foot to change vthe relative' location off'the connectionlengthwise of the presserI foot with each op-i eration of themachine. i'

14. In a work feeding attachment for sewing machines, the combinationyof a' reciprocating slide, aguide plate attached thereto, an elongatedrpresser foot, a shaft mounted upon the 'guide plate and having arelatively movable connection with the presser foot for supporting thesame, an arm uponv the shaftmeansto`engage the arm to operate thepresser foot is shifted c'rosswise with4 respect t0 the shaft.

l5. In a work feeding attachment for sewing machines, the combination ofa reciprocating slide, a guide plate hinged thereto, a clamping plate,-having an opening therein, means for moving the" said slide andconnected parts in a rectangular direction, a presser foot also adaptedto be moved with the said plates, a rocker shaft mounted on the guideplate for supporting the presser foot, means to hold the shaft in itsadjusted position, an eccentric pin ,carriedr by the shaft, a rotaryydisk carried byv the presser foot and engaged by the lpinto change itslocation of `connection of said pin with the presser foot. f

16. In a worky feeding attachment for ahinged plate connected loo rockershaft whereby the mounted in the bracket for supporting the presserfoot, collars and springs for holding the shaft in its adjustedposition, an eccentric pin carried bythe shaft, a rotary disk carried bythe presser foot and engaged by the pin to change the location ofconnection of said pin With the presser foot.

17 In a Work feeding attachment for I sewing machines, the combinationof a re- V ciprocating slide, a guide plate hinged there-`r to,supporting ymeans for feeding the ma- Copies of this patent may beobtained for ve cents each, by addressing the terial to `be stitched, apresser foot also adapted to be moved With the said plates, a. movablemember carried by the presser foot, a rocker shaft mounted on the guideplate for supporting the presser foot, means to hold the presser foot inits horizontal-position, an eccentric member carried by the shaft toengage the movable member to change its location of connection of saideccentric member With the presser foot.

Signed at Bridgeport in the county of y yFairfield and State ofConnecticut this 20th day of August A. D., 1912.

` WILLIAM s. MILLS.

Witnesses: I C. M. NEWMAN IVAN L. MoREHoUsE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

